Two young riders have secured a one-month training sponsorship at the African continental cycling centre in Potchefstroom, 120km from Johannesburg in South Africa.

Two-time national women’s champion Jean d’Arc Girubuntu and Samuel Mugisha will receive high level training from January 10 to February 9 at the centre which is a branch of the World Cycling Centre based in Aigle, Switzerland.

Girubuntu, a student in Rwamagana is the number one female cyclist in Rwanda and according to the Rwanda Cycling Federation Executive Secretary Emmanuel Murenzi, this training will help her to prepare for the Africa continental cycling championships slated for February 9-14.

The soft-spoken Girubuntu will be Rwanda’s sole female representative in the women’s elite category that will attract the best female cyclists from the African continent including South Africa, Eritrea and Morocco.

The 18-year-old finished eighth in the women’s U-19 junior road race competition at the 2013 edition of the continental championships in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt in her debut appearance and first competition outside Rwanda.

In an interview with Times Sport, Girubuntu said, "I am excited about the prospect of training at the World Cycling Centre in South Africa. It will give me a good foundation before the continental championships where I want to perform better than I did in Egypt. I know it is hard work but I am ready for the challenge.”

Mugisha , a 17-year-old secondary school student in Nyabihu is excited about the opportunity and said, "I want to be a professional rider. I am going to train very hard in South Africa and I am looking forward to learning so much about cycling.”

Olympian Adrien Niyonshuti and Team Rwanda Cycling riders like Janvier Hadi, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana and Patrick Byukusenge have trained at this centre before.

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